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There’s a chocolate chip cookie, and then there’s *this* cookie.
It’s the one that makes you pause mid-bite, the one that feels like a warm, gooey hug from the inside out.
Why Brown Butter Makes All the Difference
Let’s talk about the star of the show, the simple upgrade that changes everything: brown butter.
It’s not just melted butter; it’s a transformation, where the milk solids toast to a deep amber, creating a nutty, almost toffee-like flavor that’s downright magical.
Ingredients Needed for the Recipe
- Butter: We start with more than a cup, knowing some will evaporate during the browning process, leaving us with the deeply flavored solid we need.
- Granulated & Brown Sugar: A duo for sweetness and structure, with the brown sugar’s molasses content being the perfect partner for the brown butter’s toasty notes.
- Eggs & Vanilla: These are our binding agents and flavor enhancers, with the vanilla adding a warm, aromatic backdrop to all the nuttiness.
- All-Purpose Flour: The trusty foundation of our cookie; just be sure not to pack it in too tightly when measuring.
- Baking Soda & Salt: The soda gives our cookies their lift and spread, while the salt sharpens all the other flavors, making them pop.
- Semisweet Chocolate Chips: I find their slight bitterness creates a beautiful contrast against the rich, sweet, and salty cookie base.
The Secret to a Perfect Cookie Texture
That dreamy combination of a crisp edge and a soft, almost underbaked center isn’t an accident.
It’s the result of a slightly higher baking temperature, which sets the outside quickly while the inside stays wonderfully, decadently gooey.
How to make Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies?
Step 1- Brown and Chill the Butter
Place your butter in a medium-large, heavy-bottomed saucepan—trust me, you want the extra room because the butter will foam up enthusiastically.
Cook it over medium-high heat, stirring almost constantly, until it turns a beautiful deep honey color and you see little brown bits at the bottom; that’s your flavor gold.
Step 2- Prepare for Baking
Scrape every last drop of that browned butter, including all the toasted bits, into a large mixing bowl and pop it in the fridge or freezer.
You’re waiting for it to become solid again, cool to the touch but still soft enough to cream, which is absolutely essential for the cookie’s structure.
Step 3- Cream the Good Stuff
Once your butter is perfectly solid, add both the brown and white sugars to the bowl.
Cream them together for a solid minute, then add the eggs and vanilla, beating for another two to three minutes until the mixture is wonderfully pale and fluffy.
Step 4- Bring It All Together
Now, add your flour, baking soda, and salt all at once.
Mix this just until the flour streaks disappear; overworking the dough here is the enemy of a tender cookie, so show some restraint.
Step 5- The Final Stir and Scoop
Gently stir in your semisweet chocolate chips until they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Then, using a ¼-cup measure or a large cookie scoop, form the dough into tall, round balls—this helps create that perfect thick-and-gooey center.
Step 6- Bake to Perfection
Place six dough balls on a prepared baking sheet, giving them plenty of room to spread their wings.
Bake at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, just until the tops and edges are lightly golden, then let them cool on the sheet for a few minutes before moving them.
Tips
- Measure Flour with Care: The most common cookie mistake is too much flour. For the best results, fluff your flour with a spoon before gently scooping it into your measuring cup, then level it off with the flat side of a knife.
- Embrace the Brown Bits: Those little specks at the bottom of your butter pan are toasted milk solids, and they are packed with flavor. Do not, I repeat, do not leave a single one behind when you transfer the butter.
- Go Big or Go Home: Using a full ¼ cup of dough per cookie is the secret to achieving that ideal textural contrast between the crisp exterior and the soft, melting interior.
How to Get Picture-Perfect Cookies
For cookies that look as incredible as they taste, press a few extra chocolate chips onto the top of each dough ball right before baking.
The moment they come out of the oven, give the baking sheet a firm tap on the counter; this deflates them just slightly, creating those gorgeous, wrinkled tops.
Storing and Freezing for Later
To keep your cookies at their peak, store them loosely covered with a towel at room temperature; this preserves the crisp edges.
For long-term storage, scoop the dough balls onto a baking sheet, freeze them solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to three months—bake straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the bake time.
Fun Flavor Twists to Try
Feel free to make this recipe your own; it’s a wonderfully adaptable base.
Stir in a cup of toasted, chopped walnuts or pecans for a crunchy contrast, or swap half the chocolate chips for dark chocolate chunks and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Description
These brown butter chocolate chip cookies are the perfect cookie. The brown butter gives these cookies a rich toffee flavor and a hint of salt. They have crisp, golden edges, a nice crust on the outside, but are still soft and gooey in the center with melty semisweet chocolate.
ingredients
Instructions
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Brown 1 ¼ cups of butter in a medium-large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches a deep amber color and has brown bits forming at the bottom. Immediately pour into a heatproof bowl and cool in the refrigerator or freezer until solid but soft enough to cream (around room temperature consistency). Do not skip this chilling step—using liquid butter will result in flat cookies.
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Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
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In a large mixing bowl, cream together the cooled brown butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for 1 minute until combined.
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Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat for another 2–3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
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Gently mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt until just barely combined. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
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Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
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Scoop ¼-cup portions of dough (about 68g each) and roll into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them well apart to allow for spreading.
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Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers look slightly underdone. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 12
Serving Size 1 cookie
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 320kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 18gg28%
- Saturated Fat 11gg56%
- Trans Fat 0.5gg
- Cholesterol 55mgmg19%
- Sodium 180mgmg8%
- Potassium 120mgmg4%
- Total Carbohydrate 38gg13%
- Dietary Fiber 1gg4%
- Sugars 26gg
- Protein 3gg6%
- Calcium 40 mg
- Iron 1 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Storage tip: For crispy edges and soft centers, store cookies loosely covered with a towel overnight. A sealed container will make them uniformly chewy.
- Freeze dough: Scoop dough balls and freeze on a tray before transferring to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen—just add 1–2 minutes to baking time.
- Flour accuracy matters: Too much flour = dry, tough cookies. Use a kitchen scale or spoon-and-level method for best results.
- Don’t discard the brown bits! Those toasted milk solids = deep flavor. Scrape them all into the mixing bowl.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I need to chill the browned butter?
Browning butter removes water, leaving behind concentrated fat and toasted milk solids. Chilling it back to a solid (but soft) state allows it to cream properly with sugar, incorporating air for lift and texture. Skipping this step leads to flat, greasy cookies.
Can I use milk chocolate chips instead of semisweet?
You can, but semisweet chocolate provides a perfect contrast to the rich, sweet dough. Milk chocolate may make the cookies overly sweet and melt too quickly.
How do I get bakery-style thick, wrinkled cookies?
Use a ¼-cup scoop, top dough balls with extra chips before baking, and bang the hot tray on the counter right after they come out of the oven. This creates those signature ripples and crinkles.